Japan names team for Hong Kong clash

TOKYO (April 30) – Japan coach Eddie Jones named his side Thursday to take on Hong Kong on Saturday in the Asia Rugby Championship.

“We have picked our best 23,” Jones said of the squad that shows two changes to the starting XV and three on the bench from the opening game against South Korea.

 
The two changes in the run-on side see wing Akihito Yamada and flanker Tsuyoshi Murata take over from Yoshikazu Fujita and Hayden Hopgood, respectively.

 
“Yamada was originally only going to join us for training,” Jones said. “He is training with (Super Rugby’s) Western Force but has been frustrated at the lack of (playing) opportunities. His physical preparation has been very good and this is an opportunity to show what he can do as we head towards the World Cup.”

 
Of Murata, Jones said: “He is physically quite strong, has good line-out skills and his attitude (at training) has been absolutely first class.”

 
Kensuke Hatakeyama will become the equal fifth highest cap winner in Japan rugby history when he takes to the field at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground. The game day captain will be winning his 62nd cap and packs down alongside Masataka Mikami and Takeshi Kizu in the front row with Luke Thompson and Shoji Ito in the engine room.

 
Murata, meanwhile, lines up with Justin Ives and Ryu Koliniasi Holani in the back row.

 
Behind the scrum, Atsushi Hiwasa wins his 40th cap at scrumhalf while flyhalf Harumichi Tatekawa will be winning his 30th. Yu Tamura and Karne Hesketh renew their centre partnership with Yamada and Chihito Matsui on the wings and vice captain Ayumu Goromaru at fullback.

“It’s always nice to play at home,” Jones said. “Hopefully there will be a good crowd and the weather will be warm as we want to play good rugby. But we are not looking at Hong Kong specifically. All the games are stepping stones to the World Cup and hopefully we can keep improving so we reach our peak on Sept. 19.”